A Whole New Life
by SennaFan4ever
Summary: Takes place within the TV Series. Aladdin and Jasmine save a little girl from a life on the streets. In the process, Jasmine helps her learn how to trust. R/R
1. Chapter 1

DISC: I DO NOT own any of the characters from Aladdin. I do own whoever you don't recognize.

"A Whole New Life"

Chapter 1

A storm raged outside the window of a building not far from the palace of Agrabah. It was rare for Agrabah to get thunderstorms, but they did happen. Thunder crashed outside, followed by lightning illuminating the sky. Inside the building, the young occupants of one of the rooms were fast asleep, except for one. A little girl lay in bed, but she was wide awake. As the thunder continued to crash, she curled into a ball as the tears of fear came. She had to be quiet or risk being beaten. As the tears continued to fall from her eyes, she gazed out of the window, sending up the same silent prayer she always did every night. 'Please, Allah, I want a family.' Closing her eyes, she tried her best to sleep.

*****

Sooner than the little girl would have liked, she was being shaken awake roughly.  
"Come on, you brat! Everyone else is already in the kitchen. No breakfast for you again." With that, the glaring woman pushed the little girl out of bed.  
Landing hard on the floor, the little girl tried hard not to cry. She got dressed and followed the matron into the dining room. After breakfast was over, the little girl followed the other kids out of the building. They took frequent trips to the marketplace. The little girl liked going on these trips for two reasons. One of them was she could look at all of the different things sold there. The other reason was she secretly hoped to meet the princess of Agrabah. She had heard a lot about her and she sounded like a nice person.

"Now, everyone knows the rules," the matron reminded them firmly. She glared at all of them in turn. "You may go and look around for a little while."  
With that, all the children took off in different directions.

"Are you just gonna stand there all day?" The matron barked at the only little girl left.  
She shook her head, her brown ringlets bouncing as she did so. She let her eyes wander over to the palace.  
Seeing where the little girl was gazing to, the matron sneered at her.  
"Keep dreaming. You'll never live in a place like that."  
Glaring at the woman, the little girl took off towards a stall selling an assortment of muffins. Her stomach growled as the sweet aroma met her nose. Reaching a tentative hand out, she had barely touched the edge of the cart when a growling voice met her ears.

"What do you think you're doing, you filthy street rat! Get your dirty hands off my food!"  
The little girl was about to pull her hand back when her arm hit a few muffins, sending them to the ground. Fearing what would happen next, she turned to run, but felt her arm being pulled back painfully.

"Where do you think you're going? I think you need to be taught a lesson," the angry man's voice stated.

Shaking with fear, the little girl tried her best to pull away. But weakness from hunger made it hard to do so. Closing her eyes, she prayed it wouldn't hurt too badly. It couldn't be any worse than the beatings she received on a daily basis at the orphanage. As she waited for the strike to come, it never did. Instead, she heard another voice join in. This one was female. At first it sounded firm, but the little girl recognized another feeling in it as well.  
"Ferouge, what are you doing? Let her go."  
The little girl held her breath. She didn't expect the man to listen to this stranger.  
"She was trying to steal a muffin!" Ferouge insisted.

The little girl suddenly felt eyes on her. She dared to look up and found a pair of kind brown eyes looking back at her. She broke eye contact a second later.  
"I'm sure she didn't mean any harm. She's just a little girl. Let her go and I'll pay whatever the damage cost. You know I will. Please?"  
"Fine," Ferouge growled. "I wouldn't do it for anyone else but you, princess."  
"Thank you," Jasmine smiled at him as she passed him a bag of money. "And I'll take two apple muffins, please?"  
Once she was free, the little girl turned the other way and ran for it. She could hear someone calling after her, but she didn't wait to see who it was. She just wanted to find somewhere safe to hide. Seeking shelter in a small out cove, the little girl sat down on a multicolored rug. It felt soft and she was sleepy from her rude awakening that morning. But as her eyes closed, she heard a voice coming closer. Standing once again, she was about to run when the voice stopped her.  
"Wait, please? I won't hurt you, I promise. Are you hungry?"  
The little girl glanced up to see the same woman who had saved her from the fruit seller standing in front of her. She was wearing a tan coat with a hood and her eyes were full of kindness. The little girl backed up a little while keeping eye contact.  
"No, no, it's okay. I won't hurt you," the woman assured her. "My name is Jasmine. Can you tell me yours?" She slowly extended her hand with the muffin in it to the child.  
The little girl's eyes darted to the food and then back to Jasmine's face.  
"It's okay," Jasmine gently assured her. She kept her gaze locked with the little girl's as she spoke. "I bought it for you."  
The little girl raised her eyebrows as if to ask why did you do that.  
Jasmine smiled gently at her in reply.  
"I see you met Carpet," she stayed where she was, not wanting to scare the little girl any more than she already was.  
The little girl blinked in confusion at her statement.  
Jasmine indicated the rug beneath her feet.  
As the little girl's eyes locked with Jasmine's identical ones, she let one word escape her lips before going silent again.  
"Zaida."  
"What was that, sweetheart?" Jasmine asked. "It's okay. I didn't hear you."  
"Za…Zaida," she said again.  
Jasmine's heart soared.  
"Is Zaida your name?" She asked.

The little girl nodded.

"That's a very pretty name," Jasmine said.

Zaida smiled a little. Carefully, her hand closed over the muffin. When she didn't feel Jasmine pull it back, Zaida took it and tentatively bit into it.  
"There you go," Jasmine coaxed, "is it good?"  
Zaida nodded.  
"Do you mind if I sit down next to you and we can eat together?" Jasmine asked.  
Zaida shrugged and shook her head.  
Jasmine smiled warmly at her before doing as she said she would. In the middle of eating, she asked Zaida some questions to see if she could learn a little more about her. But apart from saying her name earlier, Zaida didn't speak again.  
Just as the two were finishing up their breakfast, Zaida gasped at the sound of an approaching familiar voice.

"She has to be around here somewhere. When I find her, she's gonna get it. She knows better than to run away! Where are you, you little brat!"  
Zaida stood up. But as she went to run, she tripped on one of Carpet's tassels. Falling forward, she felt her knee scrape against the ground.

"Zaida!" Jasmine gasped in concern. She was at the little girl's side in seconds.  
Feeling someone pick her up, Zaida started to struggle, but stopped the moment she heard Jasmine's voice. She was still shaking, but she allowed Jasmine to hold her. She buried her face in Jasmine's right shoulder as she heard the voice getting closer.  
"Don't worry," Jasmine soothed, "I'll protect you." With that, she sat back down on Carpet and gave him the signal to fly. As they rose into the air, Jasmine felt Zaida tense in her embrace. "Shh, shh, it's okay, it's okay…"  
When they landed, Zaida gazed around in wonder. She hadn't expected this. She was at the palace! She let Jasmine carry her inside to a bedroom. As she felt Jasmine try to set her down, she tightened her grip, hoping Jasmine would understand.  
"It's okay, Zaida, I'm not going anywhere," Jasmine soothed. She sat down on the bed with the little girl in her arms.  
Zaida relaxed when she felt Jasmine comb her fingers through her hair. A few minutes after Jasmine started to hum, Zaida's eyes closed and she soon fell asleep.

***** 

Zaida had to find a place to hide. She knew they would find her if she didn't move fast. They always did. As she spotted a doorway up ahead, she felt herself falling to the floor. Letting out a scream, the little girl sat up quickly. Gazing around the room, she became more afraid when she didn't recognize where she was. As the tears came, a sob escaped the girl's lips before she could quiet it. The harder she tried to stay quiet, the more she sobbed. Hearing a door open to her left, Zaida gasped and forced herself to quiet down. She soon heard Jasmine's voice meet her ears. To her surprise, the princess sounded concerned, not angry.  
"Zaida? Oh, sweetie…shh, shh, it's okay. I'm here." With that, she took the shaking and crying child into her arms. "Did you get scared?" She asked. She felt Zaida nod against her shoulder. "Shh, it's all right. You're safe now. I won't let you go."  
Zaida relaxed even as more tears came. She let them fall, even though she was still afraid.  
Just then, someone else joined them.  
"Jasmine, what happened?" A male voice asked.  
Zaida tensed when she heard him, even though she had never heard this particular voice before.  
"It's okay," Jasmine planted a kiss on the top of Zaida's head. "Aladdin won't hurt you either." Then to her fiancé she explained, "I think she had a bad dream."  
Aladdin frowned.  
"Is there anything I can do?"  
"Can you get me a cup of water?" Jasmine requested.  
Aladdin left and returned with the cup. He handed it to Jasmine before sitting down across from them.  
"Zaida, are you thirsty?" Jasmine asked.  
Zaida shook her head and buried her face in Jasmine's shoulder as she tried to push herself further into the young woman's hold.  
"Shh, it's okay, it's okay…" Jasmine soothed. She glanced up to see Aladdin giving her a questioning look.  
"She's really scared," Jasmine said, "She's been through a lot."  
"Where did you find her?" Aladdin asked.  
Jasmine told her fiancé all about rescuing Zaida from Ferouge and buying her breakfast.  
"She was terrified," Jasmine frowned as she remembered how badly Zaida had been shaking when that person had come for her. "I couldn't leave her there. I wasn't about to leave her," she said determinately.  
Aladdin smiled at his beloved.  
"That's what I love about you the most," he said. "You're always willing to help anyone who needs it." He glanced down at the little girl. "What's her name?"  
"Zaida," Jasmine replied.  
In response to her name, the little girl opened her eyes and lifted her head to look at Jasmine.  
"No, no, sweetie, close your eyes for me, it's okay," Jasmine assured her. "Aladdin and I are just talking."  
Zaida obeyed almost instantly. She was exhausted.  
"Thatta girl," Jasmine kissed her cheek this time.  
Aladdin smiled at Jasmine in a knowing way. He could see Zaida wrapping Jasmine around her finger.  
Once Zaida was asleep again, Jasmine and Aladdin continued their discussion.  
"So when is Genie coming back?" Jasmine asked.  
"Tomorrow," Aladdin replied. "I hope he had fun."  
"You know he always has fun whenever he goes on a date with Eden," Jasmine assured him.  
"Do you think she's hungry?" Aladdin asked.  
"I'm gonna try to get her to eat something later," Jasmine revealed. "She's just really afraid, poor thing. She hasn't spoken a word since she told me her name."  
"It's just gonna take time, " Aladdin said wisely.  
"You're probably right," Jasmine grinned at him. "You don't mind if I…"  
"Not at all," Aladdin said. "I understand. This room is perfect for Zaida. It's your old room, isn't it?"  
"Yes," Jasmine replied.

*******

The next morning, a fearful scream pierced the palace. A shaking and crying little girl sat up quickly, tears streaming down her face.  
"Shh, it's okay, Zaida. I'm here. Come here," with that, Jasmine pulled the frightened child into her arms and started rocking her a little. She planted a kiss on her cheek and made calming circles on her back. She started humming, knowing it had helped her the night before. Slowly, the little girl started to calm down.  
"There you go. Do you feel better now?" Jasmine smiled down at her.  
Zaida nodded.  
"I'm glad. Let's get you dressed and then we'll do something fun after breakfast. What do you wanna do?"  
Zaida shrugged and stayed silent.  
"We'll figure something out," Jasmine assured her. She kissed her cheek before gently pulling away so she could find the child something to wear. She smiled when she found the perfect outfit for Zaida. It was pink and mirrored her regular everyday outfit except the shirt was short-sleeved rather than strapped. Jasmine even found a pink headband for Zaida's hair.  
"Do you want to dress yourself or do you need help?" Jasmine asked kindly.  
Zaida shrugged again as a frown crossed her face.

Jasmine went about the task of helping Zaida get dressed for the day. She gently took off Zaida's tattered clothes and set them aside. As she caught sight of the bruises on her stomach and welts on her legs, she tried not to react outright. She didn't want to scare her. She couldn't believe someone would hurt an innocent little girl. It wasn't right. Jasmine made a mental note to talk to Aladdin about her discovery as soon as possible.  
"There you go," Jasmine smiled at her as she finished doing her hair, "you look so pretty. Do you wanna see?"  
Zaida nodded. She let Jasmine guide her over to a mirror.  
"See? Do you like it?"  
Zaida studied her reflection for a few minutes before nodding. She smiled a little, making Jasmine's heart soar once again.  
"Are you hungry?" Jasmine asked.

Zaida nodded once again.  
"Okay. Let's go eat breakfast and then we'll decide what to do."  
When they reached the kitchen, they found a surprise waiting for them.  
"Genie!" Jasmine cried happily.  
"Hey, Jas! What's up?" Genie floated over and hugged her before gazing down at the little girl hiding behind the princess. "Who's the new kid?"  
"This is Zaida," Jasmine introduced. "Zaida, this is Genie. He's really nice. He can be really silly too!" she giggled as the words left her mouth.  
Zaida slowly came to stand next to Jasmine and gave Genie a tiny smile.  
"Hey kiddo!" Genie greeted. "What's up?"  
Zaida shrugged before smiling.  
"What's the matter?" Genie asked before changing into the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. "Cat got your tongue?"  
Zaida giggled.  
It was a sweet sound to hear. And it warmed Jasmine's heart.  
"She's still getting used to things," Jasmine explained.  
Genie turned back into his normal form and grinned.  
"So what will it be for breakfast? Fruit, pancakes, waffles, eggs over easy?"  
"What are pancakes?" Jasmine asked.  
"Glad you asked, Jas!" With that, Genie snapped his fingers and a stack of circular dough appeared in front of her and Zaida on the table. Genie sprinkled them with butter and syrup.  
"They look delicious!" Jasmine declared. She turned to Zaida, "What do you think, sweetie?"  
Zaida nodded. She let Jasmine lead her over to the table. She sat next to her and watched as Genie sat across from them and next to Aladdin.  
Zaida tasted some of the pancakes while listening to the conversation around her. She didn't gaze up until she heard Jasmine say her name.  
"How about you, Zaida? Do you wanna go for a ride on Carpet to our friend, Thundra's rainforest? It's a lot of fun!"  
Zaida shrugged before nodding.  
"Great!" Aladdin smiled enthusiastically.  
Just then, they were joined by Iago. He fluttered down onto Jasmine's shoulder.  
"Did someone say Thundra?"  
Jasmine giggled knowingly.  
"You can come too," she offered.  
"We know how much you enjoy spending time with her," Aladdin winked at Iago suggestively.  
"Are you gonna let your fiancé talk to me like that, princess?" Iago turned to Jasmine.  
"It's true," she giggled.  
"That hurt!" Iago acted like he was going to fly away, but he didn't move. He glanced over and did a double take when he saw Zaida. "Who's the kid?"  
"This is Zaida," Aladdin answered.  
Iago nodded.  
"That's all I need. More cuteness around here!"  
"Iago," Jasmine eyed him sternly. "Zaida needs us. She doesn't have anyone else."  
Iago sighed. A few minutes later, he flew off to get ready for the day trip.  
After breakfast was over, Jasmine went to get ready with Zaida following her. Getting to the room, Jasmine dressed quickly before joining Zaida. The child was gazing at a box of old toys of Jasmine's from when the princess was little.  
"Do you like that one?" Jasmine asked. She picked up a plush teddy bear. "Do you wanna see it?  
Zaida nodded. She reached her hand out and touched the soft fur of the animal. She smiled.  
"Would you like to keep her?" Jasmine offered.  
Zaida frowned.  
"You can if you like," Jasmine assured her.  
Zaida slowly took the bear from Jasmine and pulled it close to her chest.  
"There you go. What about this one?" she pointed to a toy lute. "It makes music."  
Zaida took her free hand and touched the toy gently.  
"Do you wanna try it?"  
Zaida thought about this before shaking her head.  
"Okay, what about this?" Jasmine picked up a xylophone.  
Zaida shook her head again.  
"Do you want me to read you a story?" Jasmine offered.  
Zaida nodded. She came over and made herself comfortable in Jasmine's lap. She snuggled in, making Jasmine's heart melt.

****

A little while later, the gang was flying on Carpet towards Thundra's rainforest. They arrived a little while later. Thundra was happy to see them. "Hola mi amigas!" she greeted. She smiled when she saw Zaida. "Who's this laninia?"  
"Her name is Zaida," Jasmine introduced. "Zaida, honey, this is Thundra. She's a good friend of ours."  
Zaida smiled at her and waved. "She's a little shy," Jasmine explained.  
"A little shy?" Iago muttered.  
Jasmine shot him a look and he shut up.

"Well," Aladdin said, turning to the little girl, "now that we're here, is there anything special you wanna do?"  
Zaida glanced up at Aladdin with a frown on her face. She shrugged before her eyes locked with Jasmine's for help.  
"Do you wanna go for a swim?" Jasmine tried. "Do you know how to swim?"  
Zaida shook her head.

"Okay. Or we could have a picnic," Jasmine suggested.  
"Food sounds good right about now!" Iago declared.  
Zaida giggled at him.  
"Do you wanna play hide and seek?" Genie asked. He changed into a kid-sized version of himself and added, "Please? Please? It's fun!"  
Jasmine laughed this time. "Oh Genie!  
Thundra joined in the laughter.

"How about a game of tag?" Genie the kid suggested.  
Zaida shook her head.  
"I don't know if she knows how to play," Jasmine guessed.  
Genie turned back into his normal self and snapped his fingers as an assortment of games appeared before them.  
"Let's see, we have Bingo, parcizi, scrabble, monopoly…"  
"Genie," Jasmine said as she saw Zaida's eyes fill with tears, "I think all these suggestions are overwhelming her." With that, she turned her attention to Zaida, who had silent tears streaming down her face. She was about to comfort her when she saw Aladdin had beat her to it.  
"Hey, hey, it's okay." He knelt down in front of the little girl and gently wiped her tears away with his fingers. "How about we show you around Thundra's forest?"  
Zaida smiled in agreement. She reached up and took Aladdin's hand in hers.  
Jasmine smiled proudly at Aladdin.  
Once the tour was over, the group rested by a waterfall with Zaida curled in Jasmine's lap. The princess was reading her a book they had brought from the palace while the others just talked amongst themselves.

Once the story was finished, Genie zapped up sandwiches, and the group had a picnic which included some of the fruit from Thundra's forest. Afterwards, Zaida looked tired, so Jasmine rocked her a little.  
Thundra smiled at the sight.  
"Zaida loves Jasmine, si?"  
Aladdin nodded.  
"I think it's mutual," he smiled at both of them.

*****

A few hours later the gang was flying back home on Carpet. Zaida was wide awake listening to Jasmine and Aladdin talk while holding onto her teddy bear. Iago was perched on Jasmine's shoulder.  
"Did we have to leave so soon?" he whined. "Thundra and I had plans!"  
"Nobody said you had to come with us," Aladdin informed him. You could have stayed longer. You know the way home."  
"I think you came to make sure Zaida was okay," Genie guessed, a smirk on his face.  
"What are you talking' about?!" Iago yelled.  
Zaida jumped in Jasmine's lap.  
"Iago!" Jasmine hissed. "You scared her."

"It doesn't matter to me what's goin' on in that kid's head!" Iago declared.

"I know that's not true," Jasmine said as she drew calming circles on the little girl's back.

"Think what you want, princess," Iago muttered.

When they got home, Iago flew off to check out a hidden room in the palace while Jasmine took Zaida into the library so she could read her another story. Little did they know they were being watched…


	2. Chapter 2

DISC: I DO NOT own any of the characters from Aladdin. I do own whoever you don't recognize. I also own the lyrics to the lullaby Jasmine sings.

"A Whole New Life"

Chapter 2

Jasmine smiled when she saw Zaida's eyes open a few hours later. The child had fallen asleep while she read her another story.  
"You were asleep for a long time. How do you feel?" Jasmine reached her arms out and Zaida made herself comfortable on her lap.  
Zaida shrugged.  
"Are you hungry?" Jasmine asked, kissing Zaida's cheek.  
Zaida didn't respond.  
"Why don't we go downstairs and see what Genie made for dinner," Jasmine suggested.  
Zaida allowed Jasmine to set her down upon the ground. She took her right hand and followed her out of the room.  
When they reached the dining room, Jasmine smiled when she saw Aladdin at the table, talking to Genie. Her grin grew when she saw her father sitting across from her fiancé.  
"Father, how was your day?" Jasmine went over and gave him a hug, which he returned.  
"Fine, fine, my dear," the Sultan replied. He gazed behind Jasmine and his brow furrowed in confusion when he saw the little girl standing there.  
"Oh, Father, this is Zaida," Jasmine introduced. She gently led Zaida over and gave her a gentle smile. "Zaida, this is my father. It's okay. He's really nice."  
Zaida smiled at him shyly.  
"How do you do, my dear?" The Sultan smiled at the child. "That's a pretty outfit you're wearing," he tried. Turning to his own daughter, he raised his eyebrows when the child didn't answer.  
"She's shy," Jasmine explained. "She'll talk in time. I'm gonna get her settled. Come on, sweetheart." She turned her attention to Zaida and led her to her seat at the table.  
Once everyone was seated, Genie brought out the dishes of food.  
"Genie, you've outdone yourself!" Jasmine complimented as the smell of fish, rice and assorted vegetables met her nose.  
"Aw, you're too kind, Jas!" Genie beamed at her.  
"Jasmine's right," Aladdin agreed.  
Genie blushed.  
Once everyone was served, Jasmine made sure Zaida was okay before starting a conversation with Aladdin.  
"So did you have fun today?" Aladdin asked, turning to Zaida.

Jasmine held her breath. She didn't know whether Zaida would answer or not. She hoped she spoke, but she had a feeling it wasn't going to be that easy.  
Zaida nodded.  
"I'm glad," Aladdin smiled at her warmly. Then getting an idea, he went with it. "What was your favorite part?"  
Zaida shrugged before eating some more of her food.  
Jasmine gave Aladdin an encouraging smile. She was glad he was making an effort with Zaida.  
Zaida continued to eat while listening to everyone talk around her. She glanced up when she heard Jasmine set her fork down.  
"I'll be right back," she said.  
Zaida frowned as she watched Jasmine stand and turn to leave the room. Standing up herself in an attempt to follow her, she bumped the table with her left knee. To her horror, her cup of milk tipped over! What made matters worse, the glass shattered.

"Don't panic," Genie advised, "I've got this!" With that, he snapped his fingers and the entire mess disappeared. Snapping them again, he replaced the cup of milk. "Ta-da! All cleaned up."  
"Not quite," Aladdin frowned when he caught sight of Zaida shaking. Getting up, he approached her slowly. "Hey, it's okay, it's okay. It was an accident," he tried.  
Zaida glanced up at him, but she was still trembling.  
"You're not in trouble," Aladdin assured the little girl, "I promise."  
Still, the shaking continued.  
Aladdin turned his gaze towards Jasmine who had reached their side by now.  
"Zaida, Aladdin's telling the truth. You're not in trouble. It was my fault. I should have told you where I was going. Were you afraid I was going to leave you?"  
Zaida nodded as tears spilled from her brown eyes.  
"Aw, shh, shh…Listen, I would never do that," Jasmine assured her. "Sometimes I'll have to leave a room, but I'll always come back, little one," Jasmine reached out and pulled Zaida into her lap. Running her hand through her hair, she kissed the top of her head.  
"That goes for me too," Aladdin chimed in. He smiled down at Zaida. "We'll always be here for you."  
Zaida let out a sob as she buried her face in Jasmine's right shoulder.  
It took a little while, but Zaida started calming down.  
"There you go," Jasmine encouraged, "see? Everything's okay."  
"Hey what about after dinner we take a short ride on Carpet?" Aladdin offered.  
This got a tiny smile from the little girl in Jasmine's arms.  
"I think that's a yes," Jasmine grinned. With that, she carried Zaida back to her seat and set her down.  
Once dinner was over, Jasmine read Zaida another story to give their food time to settle in their stomachs. After it was over, Jasmine lead Zaida out of her room and onto the balcony where Carpet was waiting for them. Zaida stared at Aladdin's outstretched hand and back to Jasmine.  
"It's okay," Jasmine encouraged, "you can trust Aladdin." She winked at her fiancé as she said these words.  
Zaida stared at Aladdin for another minute before extending her hand and allowing him to help her onto Carpet. Once Zaida was settled, Aladdin turned to Jasmine. He smiled at her in a knowing way and extended his hand towards his beloved.  
Jasmine took it, but she didn't move at first.  
Aladdin raised his eyebrows at her before asking a question that made her laugh a little.  
"Do you trust me?"  
Jasmine's breath caught in her throat. Her mind went back to the first time she had heard Aladdin use those words as Prince Ali. She felt her heart flutter as she gazed into his eyes. After a minute or so she answered, "Yes." With that, she took Aladdin's hand and followed him onto Carpet. Once she was situated, Zaida wasted no time getting comfortable in her lap.  
Aladdin wrapped his arm around Jasmine's shoulders and kissed her head.  
Jasmine sighed happily as Carpet took off into the sky.  
"I need to talk to you after we get back home," Jasmine whispered into her fiancé's ear.  
"Okay," Aladdin said uncertainly. Frowning he asked, "Am I in trouble?"  
Jasmine giggled.  
"Of course not," she assured him. "It's about…" her voice trailed off as her gaze landed on Zaida who was almost asleep in her lap.  
Aladdin nodded.  
They flew around Agrabah for the next forty-five minutes, just enjoying the quiet night and each other's company. The two were planning on taking a more romantic ride together once Zaida got used to things.  
When they returned to the palace, Jasmine got a fast-asleep Zaida ready for bed and tucked her in. She stayed with her for a little while until she was sure the little girl was in dreamland.  
"Sweet dreams, little one," Jasmine kissed Zaida's cheek, stood up and left the room. She left the door open a little so she could hear Zaida if she called out for her or Aladdin.  
Entering her and Aladdin's bedroom, she found her fiancé reading in bed.  
"Hey," he smiled at her and made room for her on their bed.  
Jasmine sat down next to her fiancé and sighed as she felt Aladdin start massaging her shoulders.  
"You said you wanted to talk about Zaida?" Aladdin asked.  
For some reason, hearing Zaida's name sent Jasmine over the edge and she suddenly felt tears streaming down her cheeks.  
"Hey, Jas, what's wrong?" Aladdin grew concerned. He pulled her into a hug and started stroking her hair.  
Jasmine took a shaky breath as she calmed down.  
"Sha-she's so scared!" She whispered. "She has so much pain buried inside her. I just want to take it away, but I know I can't."  
"You're right," Aladdin kissed her cheek, "but you're doing a great job with her. You really are. She'll heal soon."  
"When I helped her get dressed earlier today," Jasmine confided as a shiver coursed through her, "I found…there were bruises on her stomach and legs. How could someone hurt a child? It's not right!"  
"I agree. But it happens," Aladdin frowned.  
"It shouldn't!" Jasmine declared rather loudly.  
"Shh, you'll wake her up," Aladdin cautioned.  
Jasmine forced herself to calm down. She got loud when she became passionate about something.  
"And then there's the no talking. I know she can talk. I heard her. But she hasn't said anything but her name."  
"I'm guessing when she feels more comfortable around us, she'll start talking," Aladdin assured her. "I have a feeling she'll talk to you before she talks to me."  
"You don't know that," Jasmine said quietly. She yawned just then, snuggling into Aladdin's loving hold.  
"Try to sleep," he encouraged, "I have you. I love you."  
"I love you too," Jasmine murmured. She felt Aladdin kiss her and she smiled. Right now, there was no place she would rather be than in his arms.

*****

Jasmine's brown eyes flew open a few hours later. Sitting up quickly, she listened for any sound that may have awoken her. A minute later, she heard it. A fearful scream rang throughout the hallway. Slipping out of bed, she raced to Zaida's bedroom. Opening the door, she found the little girl shaking against her pillows. Rushing to her side, Jasmine sat down next to her and reached her arms out to her.  
"Shh, shh, it's okay, I'm here, Zaida. I'm right here," with that, she pulled the child into her arms. Rocking her a little, the princess got an idea and went with it. Jasmine remembered how Yani's baby sister, Yesenia, had fallen right to sleep in her arms after she sung her a lullaby. Feeling Zaida shaking in her embrace, Jasmine shushed her gently before starting to sing.

Close your eyes  
Everything's all right  
You are safe and sound with me  
I'll always be here  
I know there's pain deep in your heart

You feel lost

I won't let you go  
You won't face your fears alone

When you feel lost in the world

I'll always find you

When the storm comes crashing  
And you can't find your way back  
Light will guide you home again  
Where my love will surround you  
Protect you from all harm

When you're lost in the storm  
Light will guide you home  
where my love surrounds you  
I'll protect you from all harm…

As Jasmine finished her song, she felt Zaida relax. Adjusting herself, she glanced up to see Aladdin standing in the doorway.  
"How long were you there?" She asked.  
"Long enough," he whispered. "That was beautiful."  
Jasmine blushed. She started to hum the song as she felt Zaida stir in her arms. She was successful in getting her back to sleep a few minutes later. "She's so sweet. How could someone hurt her?" she asked, blinking back tears.  
Aladdin shook his head.  
"I don't know," he replied. Kissing Jasmine on the lips, he wished her good night and left the room.  
Once Aladdin was gone, Jasmine prepared herself for another long night. 

*******

The next morning, Jasmine woke up to sun streaming into the window of Zaida's bedroom. She glanced down and smiled when she saw the child's eyes start to open.  
"Morning," Jasmine greeted the little girl. "Are you ready to eat breakfast? I think Genie made pancakes again."  
Zaida smiled at this and nodded.  
"Okay. Let's get you ready first and then we'll go downstairs," Jasmine suggested. She hugged Zaida close and received a hug in return. Pulling away, Jasmine got off the bed and went over to the small wardrobe in the right corner of the room. Finding a new outfit for Zaida, Jasmine helped her dress before picking up a hairbrush.  
"Is it okay if I brush your hair for you?" Jasmine asked. She didn't want to do it without asking first.  
Zaida nodded.  
"I'll be gentle, I promise." With that, Jasmine started running a brush through the child's long ringlets. "So I was thinking maybe we could go somewhere really fun today after lunch," Jasmine suggested as she worked. "Do you want me to style your hair like mine?" She felt Zaida nod, so she started working on the Arabian rap she always wore. While she worked, Jasmine tried to get Zaida talking. She asked her questions in an effort to strike up a conversation with the seven-year-old. Just as she gently secured the last rubber band around Zaida's hair, she heard a small sob escape the little girl's lips. Growing concerned, Jasmine walked around so she could see Zaida properly. Sure enough, the child was in tears.  
"Sweetheart, what's wrong? Did I accidentally hurt you?"  
Zaida shook her head as more tears came.  
Jasmine frowned as she knelt down to the little girl's level and pulled her in for a hug. As she held her, she was suddenly struck by a possible cause for Zaida's sudden upset. Fighting back her own tears at the realization, Jasmine tried her best to soothe her.  
"I know, Zaida, I know. I lost my mother too," she revealed. "I know it's hard. I'm gonna take care of you now. I know you can't say it back yet, but I love you."  
Zaida's eyes grew wide in surprise at Jasmine's words.  
Just then, Aladdin joined them. He frowned when he saw Zaida's tears.  
"What happened?" he asked.  
"Zaida's okay now," Jasmine assured him. "She just had a rough morning. Did Genie make pancakes?"  
Aladdin nodded. He came over and put an arm around Jasmine.  
"How are you?" he asked.  
"I'm okay. I was thinking maybe we could take Zaida to visit Getchastan after lunch?" Jasmine smiled at Aladdin.  
"I don't see why not. We haven't been there in a long time."  
"Wait for me!" A familiar voice shouted. A minute later, Iago entered the room. He fluttered down upon Jasmine's right shoulder. He had a money bag in his talons.  
"Iago," Jasmine semi-scolded, "were you listening at the door?"  
"Maybe," he admitted. "Can I come, please? Please? The new casino just opened. I gotta practice so I can win my money back from last time."  
Aladdin and Jasmine exchanged a look.  
"I don't think so," Jasmine finally decided.  
"Why not?" Iago demanded.  
"We want this to be a calm trip," Jasmine said carefully.  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Iago challenged.  
"You're too loud," a soft voice chimed in.  
Jasmine gasped when she realized who had spoken. She hugged Zaida close before letting her go.  
"Zaida has a point," Aladdin agreed with a knowing look at Iago.  
"Of all the times to open your mouth," Iago shot back, glaring at Zaida.  
"Iago…" Jasmine warned, but he had already started speaking again.

"Why don't you do us all a favor and keep your opinions to yourself from now on!" With that, he flew off in the direction of the kitchen.  
"Iago!" Jasmine called after him, but he didn't respond. Sighing heavily, she turned around to find Zaida gone!


	3. Chapter 3

DISC: I DO NOT own any of the characters from Aladdin. I do own whoever you don't recognize. I also own the lyrics to the lullaby Jasmine sings.

"A Whole New Life"

Chapter 3

Jasmine sighed before growling in frustration. She hadn't been so angry at Iago in a long time.  
"Jasmine, calm down," Aladdin advised. "We'll find her. She couldn't have gone far."  
Jasmine heaved a sigh.  
"You don't know that. But even if we do find her, she'll probably never speak again, and it's all Iago's fault!"  
"Jas…" Aladdin sighed. He knew there was some truth to his fiancé's words. He was about to continue when they both heard a terrified scream coming from the direction of Jasmine's old room.  
"Zaida!" Jasmine wasted no time and took off in that direction with Aladdin hot on her heels. They arrived in the room to find Zaida huddled against the far left wall while Rajah stared at her, his teeth bared.

Jasmine immediately went into action to reprimand Rajah while Aladdin concentrated on comforting Zaida.  
"Rajah, no!" Jasmine scolded in an authoritative tone. She looked at her beloved pet in a way that told him he was in big trouble. "Zaida's family."  
The tiger gazed at the floor in response, recognizing the tone in his mistress and best friend's voice. Once Rajah was secure in another room, Jasmine came back to check on Zaida. She found Aladdin kneeling in front of the child, trying to assure her she was safe. Jasmine joined her fiancé in comforting the little girl.

"It's okay, Zaida, you're okay now. Rajah didn't hurt you, did he?" Jasmine urgently asked. She didn't think Rajah would hurt anyone under normal circumstances, but Zaida was a stranger to him. What's more, Jasmine hadn't gotten the chance to introduce them to one another yet.  
Zaida shook her head as more tears came.  
"Shh, shh, it's okay, it's okay…" Jasmine reached out and placed her hand on the little girl's shoulder. She wasn't surprised when Zaida moved closer to her.  
"She isn't hurt, is she?" Aladdin asked.

"No," Jasmine replied as she checked her over. She started making calming circles on Zaida's back to help her feel safe. "She's just really scared."  
"I'm sorry," Aladdin frowned at Jasmine.  
"What are you apologizing for? It wasn't your fault. If anyone's to blame, it's Iago," she said with a glare towards the door.  
"Jasmine, you don't mean that," Aladdin tried. "He was just being Iago."  
"If he hadn't said anything to Zaida, she wouldn't have run off," Jasmine concluded. She turned her attention to the seven-year-old in her arms. "Sweetheart, I don't want you to think Rajah's mean. He really isn't. I'll introduce you tomorrow and you'll see he can be nice. I think you both just startled each other." With that, she gently tapped Zaida's nose in an attempt to get her to smile. She was rewarded with a tiny one a minute later.  
"Is she calming down?" Aladdin asked.  
"A little," Jasmine reported.  
"Maybe we should save the trip until tomorrow," Aladdin suggested.  
"You're probably right," Jasmine agreed. She adjusted her position before planting a kiss on the top of Zaida's head.  
"You need to talk to Iago," Aladdin reminded her.  
"Aladdin…" Jasmine warned.  
Aladdin backed off, recognizing the tone in her voice.  
Once Zaida was calm, Jasmine sung her to sleep and put her down for a nap in her room. She stayed with her for the first twenty minutes to make sure she was okay. After a while, Jasmine found her way onto the balcony. Heaving a sigh, she gazed upon the city of Agrabah with a frown. She prayed she and Aladdin would be able to rule it when the time came.

******

Jasmine hadn't realized how long she had been standing out there. The first indication she had that she wasn't alone was when she felt someone watching her. Whirling around, she smiled a little when she saw the little girl gazing up at her.  
"Hey," Jasmine greeted. She gave Zaida a hug. "Did you sleep okay?"  
Zaida nodded.

"Come on!" Jasmine said excitedly. "There's something I want to show you." With that, she lead the seven-year-old back into the bedroom and out into the hallway. Once they gained the outside of the palace, Jasmine lead the way to the garden. "Here we are," she announced. "What do you think?"  
Zaida gazed around before a smile spread across her face.  
"Do you like it?" Jasmine asked. "It's my favorite place in the palace grounds."  
Zaida nodded.  
"I like it. It's pretty," she remarked.  
"I think so too," Jasmine agreed. She was glad Zaida was still speaking despite what had happened with Iago. "So are you excited about taking the trip tomorrow?"  
Zaida shrugged.  
"Are you hungry? Do you want a little snack?" Jasmine ventured.  
Zaida shook her head.  
"Do you want to come with me while I get one?" Jasmine asked.  
Zaida nodded. She stood up and followed Jasmine out of the garden. She stopped for a minute and gazed back at the quiet place.  
"We can bring the snack out here," Jasmine told her.  
Zaida grinned at this prospect.  
Entering the kitchen, Jasmine got some fruit and a cup of melon juice. She got a cup for Zaida as well before turning to leave.  
"Ready?" She asked.  
Zaida nodded.  
Getting back to the garden, Jasmine put the tray of snacks down on a table Genie had made appear a few weeks ago. He called it a picnic table. Jasmine thought it added to the garden's beauty, and it certainly came in handy.  
The two ate their snack in comparable silence for a few minutes. Zaida suddenly broke it.

"Uh-oh!"  
"What is it?" Jasmine frowned when she saw the look of fear cross Zaida's face. The princess relaxed when she saw Rajah reentering the garden. "It's okay, Zaida. Rajah won't hurt you. He likes coming in here with me. Rajah, hi!" Jasmine reached out and scratched the tiger behind his ears, getting a purr in response.  
Zaida still looked unsure.  
"It's okay," Jasmine assured the little girl.  
Zaida shrugged before going back to the piece of melon she had been eating.  
Aladdin joined them a minute later.  
"Hey you two! What's up?" he sat down beside Jasmine on her left and planted a kiss on her cheek.  
Zaida gave the couple a look that clearly said she found their romantic display disgusting.  
Jasmine giggled at the child's expression.  
Aladdin was about to ask them both if they wanted to take a flight on Carpet when a buzzing sound split the air. Jasmine gasped as about half a dozen dragons surrounded them.  
"Aladdin, look out!" Jasmine warned as one of the dragons spit a jet of fire at him.  
"I got this, Jas!" Aladdin assured her. He flipped backwards, landing a few feet away from where the fire had turned into a net.  
"Where did these reptile beasts come from!" Jasmine wondered aloud as she grabbed a stick from a recent game of polo Genie had taught them and swung it at an oncoming dragon. It hit the dragon in the side, causing it to momentarily stop in its tracks. Just as she was about to celebrate, she caught sight of Rajah advancing one coming at him. "Rajah, no!" Jasmine warned. She knew she was too late when she saw a net surround her beloved pet. "Rajah!"  
"I'll free the kitty, Jas," Genie's familiar voice came from behind the princess. "You help Al!"  
"Thanks, Genie, " Jasmine ran over to Aladdin who was fighting two dragons at once. Gazing around as she attacked one of the dragons, she realized they were missing someone. "Where's Zaida?" she asked Genie as she went in for another attack on the dragon.  
A terrified scream rent the air just then, making Jasmine's blood run cold. It was quickly followed by Zaida crying out verbally for the first time ever.  
"Jasmine! Help me!"  
Jasmine ran for the spot where the dragon had lifted Zaida onto its back. Feeling herself suddenly leaving the ground, she thanked Carpet silently for the assist. Flying around the dragon a few times, Jasmine achieved her goal of making the dragon dizzy. Taking advantage of this, Jasmine reached out and pulled Zaida onto Carpet.  
"Gotcha!" she proclaimed triumphantly. She hugged the child close and received a tight hug in return.  
"Way to go, Jas!" Genie cheered.  
Jasmine was about to give Carpet the command to go back towards the palace when she suddenly felt them losing altitude!  
"Carpet what's going on!" Jasmine cried. Looking behind her, she saw one of the dragons spitting fire at them! Realizing what she had to do, she hugged Zaida to her and jumped off. Thankfully they were only five feet off the ground. But her feet never met ground. Halfway down, she felt something wrapping around her waist. She tried to fight it, but it was no use.  
"Jasmine!" Aladdin shouted.  
"Aladdin! Help!" Jasmine cried out.  
"Genie, I need a sword!" Aladdin commanded.  
"You got it, buddy!" Genie snapped his fingers and a sword appeared in Aladdin's right hand.  
Rushing to Jasmine and Zaida's rescue, Aladdin swung the sword towards the net of fire. He tried to make sure he didn't hit Jasmine by accident, but time wasn't on their side. He got one good hit in before the dragon lifted off the ground and rapidly rose into the sky.  
"Aladdin!" Jasmine cried out again.  
Having no choice, Aladdin jumped onto Carpet.  
"Carpet, punch it!" he commanded. To his dismay, Carpet was still trying to recover from the dragon's last attack, so he wasn't in any condition to fly. Jumping off, Aladdin turned to Genie.  
"Genie, I need transportation, quick!"  
"You got it, Al!" With that, Genie turned himself into a helicopter and took off the minute Aladdin jumped aboard. But even as they caught up with the dragon, the dragon spit fire from its tail, causing Genie the helicopter to fall out of the sky.  
"Jasmine!" Aladdin called out as he landed on the ground. "Those fire-breathing monsters got Jasmine!"  
"Don't worry, Al, Jas can take care of herself," Genie comforted. "We'll get her and the kiddo back. I promise."  
"I hope you're right," Aladdin sighed in defeat for the moment. "We don't even know where they came from or who sent them. If only we had someone small who could go after them just to make sure she's okay."  
"Hey, Al, what happened out here?" a familiar voice asked from behind him. "It looks like you guys had a fight with a-aaah!" Iago squawked as Aladdin grabbed him by the tail feathers.  
"Iago! You're perfect for the job!" Aladdin realized.  
Iago blinked in confusion. He glanced around and noticed they were alone.  
"Where's Jasmine and the kid? She's probably still ticked off at me," he guessed.  
"Yes, but I think there's a way you can get back into her good books," Aladdin told him.  
Iago was paying attention now.  
"How?" he asked.  
"You can save her," Aladdin replied.  
"From what?" Iago asked. "What happened?"  
"Jasmine was kidnapped by some dragons. Zaida too. I tried to save them, but the dragons were too fast for us. They spit fire at Carpet and he's still recovering. You're Jasmine's last chance. Please, I can't lose her. I can't lose either of them."  
Iago thought for a few minutes before nodding his consent.  
"All right. But she better say thank you with a two-week trip to the casinos!" With that, Iago flew off once Aladdin had told him in which direction the dragons had gone.  
"We'll be right behind you once Carpet is able to fly again," Aladdin called after his friend. As he watched Iago disappearing over the domes of the palace, he prayed he would be able to do this…


End file.
